Messenger of Destiny
by Therantas
Summary: Someone from our world is pulled into Spira, and given the power to change their story. Chapter 7 has arrived, Chapters 3-6 revised.
1. Prologue: Gateways

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Prologue: Gateways

***Jessica's POV***

"Finally…" I sighed. School could be long and drawn-out sometimes, but I'd managed to stay focused until the bell rang at the end of the day. Now I was home, on a Friday afternoon. My best friend Kate had gotten the flu, so we couldn't go out to the mall as we had planned. So I decided, as homework could wait till tomorrow (it was Friday, after all) and my chores were finished, that I'd go play my favorite game, Final Fantasy X. 

I enjoyed the game because I loved the world it showed, Spira, and I also liked the characters and their story. Sure, the battles and the Sphere Grid were fun, but that's not why I bought it. Sometimes I wished that I could leave my boring, teenage life behind and go off somewhere, whether it be with Tidus, Yuna, and their group, or others that I hadn't "met" before. I played these games to escape boredom and my incredibly mundane life.

"Huh? What happened to my save files?" I was confused, as I had been playing this game a few days ago and remembered having three save files- two at the end of the game and one halfway through. I sighed, apparently something had corrupted my card, and I would have to start over. I began, watching the awesome Zanarkand cutscene, but there was something… different… about the scene. It seemed clearer, more real… Almost as if the screen weren't there, as if I could touch the sphere pool. I dismissed it as my imagination and continued playing. Soon the second scene, with Sin in the giant sphere of water, came up, and I swore that Sin, that horrible weapon, was staring straight at the screen… at _me._ The water seemed to part, and I was looking through a tunnel at Sin's many eyes. Strange, that never happened before… I became aware of a weird sensation, almost as if I was being pulled into Sin's eyes. I went to look closer, and touched the screen. It felt like my hand was passing through water, and then my hand disappeared. It just wasn't there. Like it had been cut off, but there was no blood. Sin's eyes flashed, and then I was being pulled… Not into the screen, but into those glowing eyes… I felt as if I was dissolving, and then there was no feeling at all.

I became aware of another presence. I couldn't see or hear; I could just sense it, something inside my mind. Words formed in my head, long and drawn-out, and "sounding" very tired.

__

You have been brought here for a reason. They must not be allowed to part… You must not allow him to fade… It is our will that they should be together.

"What? Who are you? Where am I? Who are you talking about?" I had so many questions, but the words continued, heedless of my thoughts.

__

All will come clear in time. Do not worry. You will be granted power, the power to change your form… Simply concentrate on what it is that you wish to be. You must use this power to help them. Go, now. There is little time… You will learn your mission soon.

"Wait! Where are you taking me?! What if I don't want to do this 'mission'?"

__

You will see. And we doubt very much that you will hesitate, once you understand your mission. We will send you to the nearest plane from us. You must prepare. There is little time. Now go!

There was a bright light, and then sound. Again, I felt that sensation of dissolution, and then I was standing in a field of flowers, with water falling into a deep crevasse all around me. There were lights in the air, thousands of them. I shook my head to clear it, but then I recognized those floating lights. That was when I realized where I was.

"Pyreflies! Then this must be… The Farplane?!"


	2. Chapter 1: I Am Kamereon

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*Author's Note* 

Hi, everyone! I'm sorry that I took so long. I have completed the game, and I see the game much better for it. Also, my network was down for a while. Anyway, this story is now changing in style, a little. I will no longer be concentrating so much upon the new character, because it's the regular ones you want to read about, right? So, this is basically a rewrite of the plot, with a new character added in. I hope you like it! Oh, and thanks to you readers for your favorable reviews, except one. Again, could whoever has a problem with my writing say it politely, and tell me what you think is wrong? Maybe I can fix it. Now, on with the story. *** WARNING*** If you have not played and beaten FFX, don't read this fic. It begins about halfway through the game and goes until the end. I'm warning you!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own FFX. If I did, I wouldn't need to write this story, now would I? Jessica, however, is mine and mine alone. YOU CAN'T HAVE HER! SHE'S MINE I TELL YOU! Okay. Here it is!

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Chapter 1: I Am Kamereon

Jessica stood warily, looking around. She didn't understand what was going on, but she knew that she wasn't dead, because she was solid. She pinched herself, then jumped. "Ow! I guess that it's not a dream, then. Now what?" Jessica didn't know why she was here, on the Farplane, but that didn't matter. If she couldn't get back home, then she would have to get along as best she could. Besides, hadn't she sometimes wished to be here? She tried to get her bearings, and studied her surroundings more closely.

Jessica stood upon a field of flowers, but they were growing out of what looked like crystal. There were pyreflies everywhere, and waterfalls flowing into a deep crevasse surrounded the field upon which she stood. Surprisingly, there was very little noise, and everything seemed peaceful. She looked up, to see that she was standing directly below a dark cloud with a bright blue sphere in its center. _Yes, I'm definitely on the Farplane, but where's the entrance? _Jessica spotted a floating platform above the waterfall in front of her. _Aha! That has to be the entrance, but… how do I get up there?_ She was at least 150 feet below it, with a bottomless pit in front of her. _Now what?_

The 14-year-old girl tried to remember what those voices that were responsible for her being here had said to her. Something about her power… the power to change her form? Maybe they meant that she could change her shape? "Simply concentrate on what you wish to be," they had said. She looked at her left hand and concentrated upon turning it into a hoof. She waited, concentrating, hoping that she could really do this. There was a small shimmer around her hand, but it stayed the same. Jessica felt extremely foolish, even though there was nobody but the pyreflies to see her failure. Then, she felt a strange sensation… almost like a pull within her mind. She mentally grasped that feeling, and tried again. This time, the shimmer was larger, and lasted longer. When it faded, there, attached to her human arm, was a large brown hoof, just the way she had imagined it.

Jessica stared at the hoof in disbelief. She flexed her arm, and touched the hoof with her other hand. It was solid, and she could feel the pressure of her hand against the hoof. It seemed real enough, so Jessica willed her appendage to become a hand again, this time making sure to surrender to that pull inside her brain. There was another shimmer, and there was her hand again, perfectly normal. Jessica stood for a while, letting the realization sink in.

"COOL!" Her shout could have been heard from the other side of the Farplane. She thought about what to try first, then decided upon turning into a horse. After all, if she could turn her hand into a hoof, why not her whole body? She concentrated upon turning into a large, black mare, with a diamond patch of white on its forehead. The shimmer surrounded her whole body this time, and the Farplane seemed to become hazy, like when it's really hot out and you can see the heat rising from the pavement. The haze lasted much longer than before, and didn't show any sign of clearing. Jessica began to get tired, very quickly, and when exhaustion turned to pain, she knew that something was wrong. She stopped concentrating on being a horse, and the pain abated. The haze cleared, and she was herself, but still very tired. She didn't know what had gone wrong, but all she wanted to do was collapse. Her entire body felt like jelly. Jessica lay down, and quickly her eyelids began to close. _Why not? _She thought. _It's not like there are any fiends here… I hope… _Then she surrendered to her exhaustion, and slept.

Tidus sat in his room at Guadosalam, head in his hands. He was worried about Yuna; she was always so willing to sacrifice her own freedom for the good of Spira. The group had decided to stay the night before going into the Farplane, so that they could rest before facing their memories. Tidus wasn't able to sleep, even though it was past midnight; he kept on thinking about Yuna, and her reaction to Seymour's recent proposal. Tidus couldn't understand why none of the others were worried about what would happen if Yuna accepted Seymour's offer. He could tell that Yuna didn't love Seymour; in fact, she probably didn't even like him. Was Yuna going to be miserable the rest of her life after defeating Sin, just to make the people happy?

Tidus marveled at himself. _Why do I suddenly feel… protective of Yuna? I never did before. I used to think that defeating Sin was just a good way to return to Zanarkand, but… Now that I've met her, I don't know if I want to go home anymore…Is Zanarkand really my home? Or… is my home here… with her? _Tidus decided that he'd go see if Yuna was awake also. He wanted to talk to her, to see what it was that Yuna wanted, what she really thought about marrying Seymour. Tidus stood, opening the door of the room he shared with Wakka, who was currently snoring like a chainsaw. He walked down the darkened hallway, quietly so as not to wake the other guardians. He stopped, hesitating, in front of Yuna's door, but then made up his mind and knocked lightly on her door.

"Huh? Who… Who is it?" Yuna's voice, not sounding groggy at all, came from within.

"It's me, Tidus. Can I come in?" Tidus wondered why she wasn't asleep, then realized that it was the same reason that he was still awake.

"Sure…" Yuna opened the door and smiled at him, but the dark circles under her eyes showed that all was not well. Tidus smiled back, then stepped into her room.

"I just wanted to talk for a little bit." Tidus turned, looking at her with his deep blue eyes.

"What about?" Yuna sat on the edge of her bed, which was not rumpled at all.

"Well… Yuna, what do you want from life?"

"What?" She stared at him, slightly surprised by his straightforwardness.

"What do you want… to do with your life?"

"Why?" Yuna was confused as to what he was asking her.

"Yuna… Ever since you became a summoner, you've been focusing on your duty, what you have to do for Spira. What I'm asking is, what do you want for yourself?"

"… I never thought about it much… I guess… I want to have a family again…" Yuna looked down at her hands, folded in her lap, then up at Tidus.

"But, I thought that Kimahri, Lulu, and Wakka were your family…"

"I know, but it's not the same. I want… someone who loves me for me. Not just someone who… wants me to defeat Sin for them." She looked at her hands again, and began to tremble.

"Yuna… we all love you for who you are, not because you're a summoner." Tidus sat next to her on the bed and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, and smiled weakly.

"We?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"Yes. We. We all love you. Don't ever think that we don't." He smiled down at her, eyes sparkling. Yuna looked up at him for a moment, then suddenly hugged him tightly. Tidus was surprised at first, but then hugged her back. "Yuna?" 

"Tidus… thank you." She let go of him, really smiling now.

"Come on, Yuna. Let's get some sleep. You have a major decision to make tomorrow." He stood, then offered her his hand. She took it, and pulled herself up. He headed for the door, but turned before leaving. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Tidus."

Jessica had been on the Farplane for about a week now, or at least she thought it had been a week. It was difficult to tell in a place where there was no day or night. She had tested her power, and found that the more drastic the changes in size were, the harder it was for her to change. Cosmetic changes, like changing color, were easy for her. She also found that the more she shifted forms, the easier it was to use her power. Jessica familiar with a few of her favorite shapes, making it even easier to shift. By now, she could change her size from about ¾ of her normal body size to about 1 and ¼ times her size. The reason she had passed out after trying to change into a horse is that horses are so much larger than humans, that she couldn't handle the strain of the size change. The final thing she had learned about her power was that whatever form she took had to have basic body systems, like being able to breathe and eat. All in all, she enjoyed her new power, even with its limitations.

Currently, Jessica was simply enjoying flight in one of her favorite forms, that of a gryphon. (AN: Just so you know, a gryphon is half-eagle, half-lion creature with a bird's head, eagle's wings, lion's body and tail, and four legs.) She had found that the water flowing down the cliff face was pure freshwater, and that the flowers on the field were edible to her plant-eating forms. She stopped in midair, hovering, and turned to look at the entrance to the Farplane. Jessica could have left anytime she wanted, but she had a feeling that she was waiting for someone to come to her. She was about to return to the makeshift home she had dug out for herself when the entrance to the land of the dead began to glow.

The gryphon twisted to look, then realized it might be better if she wasn't visible for now. She pumped her wings, striving for altitude, and stopped almost directly above the entrance, from which four humans were currently emerging. One was wearing a long blue skirt that fell almost to her feet, and holding a staff. Another, who walked beside the first, had platinum blond hair, tanned skin, and was holding a very familiar sword… Jessica nearly cried out with amazement when she recognized the party that had appeared. She watched a little longer, then chose to go and introduce herself.

Jessica dived out of the air with a cry that was half screech and half roar to land in front of Tidus and Yuna, who were looking at images of Tidus' mother and Yuna's parents. Tidus looked up, then narrowed his eyes and stepped in front of Yuna, while Wakka and Lulu came running. "Stand back, everyone!" Tidus shouted, then proceeded to power up for an Overdrive. This reaction was not what Jessica had expected, but then she realized that they thought she was a fiend, and had to be wary.

"No, wait! Don't- AAAH!!" the gryphon howled, as Tidus did a flip in the air and came down with his sword cutting into one of her wings, nearly severing it. He then jumped back, but was surprised to see that the "fiend" wasn't attacking. In fact, it was doing something totally unexpected- it was staring at the cut he had made in its wing, which was bleeding badly, with shock. It then looked up at him, and said, in a rasping but human voice, "That hurt." Its legs then buckled, and it fell to the ground. It looked at Yuna with desperation in its eyes, and said weakly, "Help me… please…"

Tidus was shocked to see a fiend act in this manner and speak in a human language, but he was even more shocked when Yuna said, "I'm going to heal it."

"No, Yuna, don't! It's a fiend!" said Wakka.

"I've never heard of fiends on the Farplane before," said Lulu thoughtfully, "especially not ones that talk."

"We can't leave it to die like this!" said Yuna, looking from the wounded gryphon to her guardians and back. Tidus looked at her, and nodded.

"You're right. Be careful." he said. Yuna walked up to the creature, put a hand upon its head, and cast a healing spell. The gryphon stood slowly, testing its newly healed wing, then turned to the summoner. Yuna took a step back warily, but the bird bent its front legs, spread its wing, and bowed its head. 

"I thank you, Lady Yuna." It said, without any hint of menace. Tidus stepped up to the gryphon.

"You're not going to attack us, are you?" he asked.

"No. I never had any intention of hurting you. I simply wanted to introduce myself." the bird replied.

The young warrior was sheepish. "Sorry. Looks like I got carried away there."

"Perfectly all right. I apologize for startling you."

Tidus turned serious then. "All right. Who, or what, are you?"

The gryphon laughed- or at least, Tidus thought it was a laugh. "What am I? That depends. I could be anything."

Tidus frowned. "That's not an answer."

"Yeah, for me it is. See, I could be a monster," and with a shimmer, the gryphon changed into something with bristling fur, sharp claws, and fangs. "Or I could be an animal," and it became a small Chocobo. "Or, I might be… you." Then, Tidus jumped back, amazed. A perfect replica of himself, necklace, armguard, and all, stood in front of him. Then the copy spoke. "But I'll show you the way I was before I got here." With a final shimmer, the Tidus clone shifted into a 14-year-old, brown-haired girl.

"But, you're just a child!" Lulu said.

"Hey! I resent that! I'm only 3 years younger than Tidus and Yuna over here!"

An alarm went off in Tidus' head, but he ignored it. "So… what's your name, anyway?"

Jessica thought quickly. What to tell him? _This game- if it can still be called a game- was made in Japan, right? It seems appropriate to choose a Japanese word for my name. Good thing I have that Japanese dictionary in my room…I know just the word! Perfect! _ "You can call me Kamereon. Kamer for short, if you like."

"Kamer will do fine." Yuna said. She had been quiet for most of the conversation.

Finally, Tidus realized something was wrong. "Wait a minute, Kamer… how did you know our names?"

So, what do you guys think? Long chapter, huh? The part with Tidus and Yuna in Guadosalam was really hard to write, so I hope it's okay. Oh, by the way, "Kamereon" is supposed to mean "chameleon" in Japanese. Jessica will now be known by that name, except to people she trusts the most. So, I should be posting more often now that our network is fixed. Please review it and tell me if you like it!

Click this button to give me your opinion!

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	3. Chapter 2: Decisions

*Hi, I'm back! I'm finally writing, after about a month. Here's Chapter 2! Oh, thanks a ton for the favorable reviews! I love you all (except my single flamer, I don't like him). I hope to have at least 25 reviews by the end of the story. I, in the month-long gap, have been doing homework and projects, and also trying very hard to get about 7 million Gil so that I can get 50 Wings to Discovery. Bribing those Malboros empties yer pockets very quickly. One last thing: Jessica won't be telling the crew much about why she knows about them, as they would most definitely freak. So, on with the story! *

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Chapter 2: Decisions

***Kamereon's POV***

As Yuna was healing me, after I'd been wounded so badly, I began to really believe that I was here, facing these people- these legends. Sure, I'd imagined what it would be like to meet them, but here I was, actually talking to them- I almost couldn't believe it. Before this, there had been a nagging doubt in the back of my mind that I was hallucinating or something. Now, I was sure that this was real. Then I realized what Tidus had just asked me- how I knew their names.

I mentally slapped myself. How could I have been so careless? I couldn't tell them how I knew about their journey, and I'd just given away that I knew all their names! I thought quickly, and decided that I would have to dodge the question by being mysterious. I hate being like that. It doesn't fit my personality. Oh well.

"Believe me, Tidus," I said, looking around at the group, "I know a lot about you. All of you. For instance, I know that Auron, Braska's former guardian," at this I nodded at Yuna, "is standing outside the entrance, along with an Al Bhed girl named Rikku, and a Ronso with a broken horn named Kimahri. It's not like you guys are exactly unknown, you know." 

"I suppose you're right. I should have expected that you would know about us." Tidus sighed. "Sometimes it's really hard, being known throughout Spira."

"I can imagine." I said. "So, let's get something straight here- I know a lot more about you than most, and what's going to happen on your journey. Don't ask me how- I can't tell you, because I don't understand all of it myself. You'll just have to trust me."

"Why?" Tidus looked at me. "Why should we trust you, if we just met you?"

"You shouldn't." I replied. "But think of it this way- if I'd wanted to hurt you, I could have done it right after Yuna healed me. I really do want to help you. Besides, I need your help."

"You need our help? You can turn into anything you want, you should be fine on your own, ya?" Wakka, who had previously been silent, now spoke up.

"You saw what happened when Tidus cut me," I said. "I'm not invincible, and I'm not capable of doing magic either."

"I see." Now Lulu spoke. "If you can't do magic, then some fiends would easily defeat you on your own. Why don't you stay in Guadosalam?"

"I wouldn't like being stuck in one place for too long. However, that's not the only reason I'd like to travel with you. I want to help you guys- I can make myself very useful. But it's your choice."

"I think Yuna should decide." Lulu said. Everyone, including me, looked at Yuna.

"I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "I have so many guardians already, and I don't think that I would trust you with my life."

"I wouldn't have to be a guardian, just a companion," I said. "Look, nobody would care, if I didn't take human form." Then I shifted into the form of a large dog. "See?" I said in a rough, but understandable, voice. "I can do whatever you think necessary." Then I shifted back to my human form.

"I… suppose," said Yuna, looking hard at me. "Yes… I think you can come with us."

"Are you sure?" Tidus asked.

"Yes." She said firmly.

"Thank you." I smiled. "Now, should we go, or do you want to stay a little longer?"

"I'm ready to leave here. I've made my decision. I'm not going to marry Seymour."

Tidus looked at her and smiled, although it was a little strained. "All right. Let's go, then."

Everyone except for Yuna and I headed for the exit. Yuna looked out across the Farplane. "What's it like out there?" She asked me softly.

"It's okay. I think I like Spira better, though." I looked at her. "Yuna… don't worry. There's a way you can defeat Sin and live… I'm sure of it. You won't be coming here to stay for a long time."

Yuna looked away. "I… don't know…" She turned to the exit. "Come on, or we'll leave without you." 

She left. I took one last look at the Farplane, where I had been since I came here. I turned towards the exit, took a deep breath, and stepped out… into Spira.

I know it's not very long for a month, but it was a good place to stop. I am writing the next chapter now, so expect it within a day or two… I hope. C ya! 


	4. Chapter 3: The Journey

Hello. I said that I'd be back soon, so I am. I thought that last chapter was a little short. Besides, I can't leave this story alone. I'm too attached! If the characters seem a little too trusting, I apologize. I tried to make it realistic, but they have to trust her a little, so that they can go on. I'll expand on Kamer's relationship with the entire group in this chapter. Oh, yeah! I got 10 reviews!! Thanks to everyone who liked my story. I love you all! One last thing: When you're finished reading this chapter, go read Th'Lady Shadow's _Dreams Come True _and Fire Rules' _A Time For Reflection._ They're both awesome, sweet, well-written fics. Now, on with the tale!

Disclaimer: I do not own FFX, Spira, or any of the characters (except Kamer, of course). Please don't sue. Please? I'm begging you.

**Chapter 3: The Journey**

Kamereon stepped out of the Farplane gate. She took a deep breath, and turned to look at the summoner and her guardians. Auron simply stood, watching her like a hawk. Kimahri was a little more open- he had his lance out, and was pointing it straight at her. Rikku looked at her with a small frown on her face; then it brightened into her customary smile. This gave Kamer nerve enough to stutter out, "Um… hi?"

"Kimahri no like this. New person not smell right. Have no smell at all." Kimahri advanced a step, causing Kamereon to back up quickly, and almost fall over. Then she remembered her abilities, and stood up straight.

"Well, that doesn't mean that you have to point your weapon at her like that! Look, you're scaring her!" Rikku bounded up to Kimahri and pushed his lance point into the ground. "Put your weapons away! She's only a little girl!"

_Dammit, why does everyone call me little? I'm not THAT short!_ Kamer stiffened, and suddenly found herself about 3 inches taller. "You know, Rikku, you must be pretty little yourself, since you're only about a year older than I am!" she said, indignant. "Also, I could technically be older than you!" Suddenly an old woman, with white hair and wrinkles, stood where the teenager had been. "So no more calling me little, all right?" Then Kamer changed back to normal. She noticed that Auron, Rikku, and Kimahri were staring at her, Rikku with jaw almost to the floor.

"O… Okay." Rikku finally managed to speak. "How did you do that, um…"

"Kamereon. Kamer, for short. I can just do it- just like Yuna can summon Aeons, I can do this. It's a power that I was granted. Don't stare at me like that, please- I hate being treated differently, even if I am odd." Kamer looked at Tidus. "I take it you didn't have time to explain?"

"Nope. This going to take some getting used to." Tidus turned to Auron, Rikku, and Kimahri. "Kamer is going to be traveling with us." Kimahri growled, but said nothing. Auron humphed, then turned away. Kamer grinned nervously at Rikku, who returned a reassuring smile.

"Yuna, have you made a decision?" Auron asked in his usual, straightforward way.

"Oh… yes. I've decided not to marry Seymour."

"Then we should go tell him so that we can keep going." Kamer and Rikku both shot Auron a glare.

"Yes, Sir Auron. You're right." Yuna walked down the tunnel to the rest of Guadosalam. Tidus and the rest of the group followed.

"Waste of time…" muttered Kamer.

Rikku, who was standing nearby, heard her. "What?"

"Nothing…"

"Come on then, let's go!" Rikku headed down the tunnel.

Kamer thought for a second. _Better not let too many people see me- I don't want to attract too much attention._ She darted out of sight of the Guado guards and became a dog the size of a Great Dane- it was as small as she could get in a short amount of time. She then trotted down to catch up with Rikku. The Al Bhed girl turned in surprise to see a huge dog walking by her side. She was even more surprised when the dog barked loudly, then winked at her.

Rikku shook her head. _Tidus was right- this IS going to take some getting used to,_ she thought. She then patted the dog on the head, and grinned when the dog looked up at her. "What? You look like a dog, so can't I treat you like one?" She jumped when the dog spoke in understandable English.

"I'm only going to stay like this until we get out of the city, so don't get any notions of me as a pet. I'm human too… well, most of the time." Kamereon then went silent, because they had entered the main area of Guadosalam. Rikku and the canine were given strange looks by those who didn't remember seeing a dog with them before. Tidus and the rest of the group were waiting at the entrance to the palace. Yuna had already gone inside. Tidus began to have a long conversation with Lulu. Kamer was interested as to what the "real" Tidus thought of Yuna, but she didn't want to look too interested, so she went and lay down near a wall. Rikku followed her over and sat down next to her.

"I'm glad that you're going to travel with us, Kamer." Rikku spoke quietly. "There was never anyone that I could really talk to- nobody close to my age. Or, well, sort of close to my age." The blonde began to idly scratch Kamer in between the ears. This caused Kamer to stiffen for a second, but then the dog relaxed and yawned widely. Then the black dog laid its head on its paws and seemed to doze off, Rikku still scratching its head.

Later, Tidus and Lulu returned to the palace. Lulu commented, "Don't fall in love with her. Kamer's ears perked up at this.

Tidus stood still for a moment. _Love… Am I in love with Yuna? _Thoughts spun through his head: his first meeting with Yuna, the time in Luca when he taught her to whistle, and the night before, when he had asked Yuna what she wanted. He ended up with no doubts about his answer."Too late." He whispered. Kamer and Lulu both heard.

Lulu responded by saying, "You'd better keep your feelings inside, then." She turned away. Kamer smiled secretly, then suddenly stood up and shook herself, then trotted up to the palace doorway and barked.

Tidus strode over and said, "What's taking so long?" The dog simply pushed open the door with her head and went inside. "Good idea." Tidus followed. They found Yuna on the stairs leading up to the second floor, looking at paintings of former maesters. A Guado emerged from the inner palace and told them that Seymour had departed for Macalania Temple, because he was not expecting Yuna's answer so soon. Kamer snorted and departed the palace. Tidus went up to Yuna. "Hey, let's go- if you're ready."

Yuna turned, and smiled at him. "Yes, I'm ready. We should leave." The group stopped near the tunnel to the Thunder Plains.

"Wait a second… we can't go down there! That's the Thunder Plains! There's lightning there, and thunder!" Rikku was obviously terrified. Kamer turned to her and whined. Rikku didn't understand, and she was NOT going to go down there. Kamer realized that this could take a while if she didn't do something, so she checked to make sure no Guados were around, then moved in front of Rikku and spoke.

"Come on, Rikku, we've got to go down there sometime." Tidus jumped at hearing the dog speak. Auron said nothing, and Kimahri growled softly. The rest of the group was looking at Rikku. The blonde shook her head, still frightened. Kamer continued speaking. "It's the only way to get to Lake Macalania. You do want to help Yuna, right?"

"Yes…"

"Well then, we have to go through here. It'll be okay. There are towers that attract the lightning. You're not going to get hit, like when you were little. Okay?"

"Okay…"

"Good. Come on, let's go." Kamer mentally whacked herself again. _Rikku hasn't told us why she's afraid of lightning… I need to stop saying things that I shouldn't know!_ She was glad that nobody had noticed, and tried to continue normally. The dog proceeded to trot down to the Thunder Plains. Rikku followed, nervously, and Yuna, along with the other guardians, came after.

Once on the Thunder Plains, Rikku lost her nerve again. "Uh… guys? I think I left something back in Guadosalam." Auron rolled his eyes and was about to say something when the canine shimmered, and Kamer, in her normal human form, stood.

"The only other option is staying behind, Rikku… It's your choice, but we're going on." Kamer grinned. "Plus, you might get to see Tidus hit by lightning!" Tidus grumbled something about "stupid new girl", but didn't do anything. Rikku cheered up a little, but she still darted toward the nearest tower.

Time passed, and the group was about halfway to the Travel Agency when they had to move across an unsheltered spot. Kamer was walking beside Rikku in human form when she saw a flash in the sky. _Oh, shit._ She yelled "Watch out!" and dove at Rikku. A lightning bolt struck where Rikku had been- but Kamer wasn't fast enough, and it hit her in the arm.

Rikku got up slowly, staring at where she'd been standing. Then she noticed that Kamer was still on the ground. "Are you okay, Kamer?" Kamer struggled to her knees, shook her head, and managed to stand up unsteadily. There was a large, black burn on her forearm where she had been hit.

"I think so." Then the shapeshifter tried to push herself up, but her wounded arm wouldn't support her weight; she fell to the ground again. "Argh…" Wakka grabbed her arm and helped her stand up. "Oww… damn. That hurt…"

"Kimahri think scentless one get what it deserve."

"Kimahri!" Yuna frowned. "We can't leave her like this!"

Kamer sighed. "No, no, Yuna, don't. You'll tire yourself, and there's a ways to go… I don't want to slow you down." She tried to move her arm again, and winced. "I'll do my best to keep up."

"Good. Now let's keep moving." Auron then continued toward the Travel Agency. Everyone except Rikku followed.

"Rikku?" Kamer stopped and turned when she realized Rikku wasn't following. Rikku was silent, looking at the dirt. She looked up at the sound of Kamer's voice, and hurried to catch up.

"I wanted to say… thank you for saving me. How did you know that bolt was coming?" Rikku was curious.

"The flashes in the sky… If you see one, jump to the side. That way you won't get hit."

"Oh, okay! You seem to have been to all these places before... You must travel a lot."

"You have no idea."

So… Chap. 4 done. Kind of a long chapter, but it was fun to write. I hope ya liked it. Now go read those other fics I told you about, if you haven't already. Next chapter up soon- now that school's almost over, I have more time to write. See ya later!


	5. Chapter 4: First Battle

Authors note: Wow. It's been a long time, hasn't it? I decided to put my writing on hold during the summer so I could relax. Now that I'm back in school, I won't be so lazy. It's kinda backwards from most people, isn't it? Goes to show I'm not a normal person. This chapter will be fun- Kamer proves she can fight. I bet you were wondering where the fiends come in- well, here they are! I don't have a beta reader for this fic, so all of your reviews are needed to point out what's wrong. All of the 14 wonderful people (I don't care about the flame anymore) who reviewed my fic have made me happy! This chapter has been lurking in my head since I began writing this story, so here it is… enjoy!

Disclaimer: What? Wait, you- snicker- you think that I– snort- I own FFX? Now why (holds in laughter) would you think that? AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

**Chapter 4: First Battle**

The group stopped outside the Thunder Plains Traveling Agency, because Rikku was getting nervous again, and Kamer needed bandages for her burn. Yuna decided that they would spend the night- Tidus found this very odd, but declined to comment. The group began to look around. Yuna went into her room without a word, and Kamer waited in the corridor opposite the summoner's room. Tidus bought some supplies, but then began to get restless. He was worried about Yuna, and also a bit curious as to what she was doing in her room. As he appeared in the hallway, Kamer suppressed a grin and turned to step into the main hall. As she passed Tidus, she said quietly, "I wouldn't…"

"What?" asked Tidus, confused, but she was gone. He then heard a faint voice coming through the door, but it wasn't Yuna. Tidus leaned against the door to hear more clearly. It sounded like an old man, but he couldn't make out the words… He shifted, trying to get into a more comfortable position, and in doing so bumped the door handle.

The door swung inwards, and the blonde eavesdropper fell flat on his stomach into the room. There was a sphere playing, of a Guado- that was all he had the chance to see before the sphere was deactivated, by a very distressed Yuna. He got up and looked at her sheepishly, but then realized that she was almost in tears. She fled the room. Tidus was confused (as usual) and shrugged, only to look up and spot Wakka in the hallway. Kamer smirked slightly in the hall, then winced and touched her bandaged arm gingerly.

Wakka shook his head. "Smooth move, ya?" He then entered the room he shared with Kimahri and shut the door.

Kamer glanced up from her arm. "Yuna really doesn't need people watching over her every second. She can take care of herself." The shapeshifter turned away. "I hope you're normally more coordinated than that. You are a guardian, after all." Then, she too was gone. Tidus was downcast. He sighed, then proceeded into his and Auron's room for the night.

Next morning

Rikku was terrified of going outside again. She told the story of her brother's lightning spell that had misfired, but nobody really cared, except perhaps Yuna and Kamer. Auron threatened to leave her behind, so she came along reluctantly. Kamer tried to cheer her up by commenting that since Rikku knew how to avoid the lightning, she had nothing to worry about. That didn't help much.

After about an hour of whining, even Kamer became irritated at her, and snapped at her to "Shut up, you're giving everyone a headache". Everyone else heartily agreed. Rikku was hurt, but fell silent, walking away from the others until she was nearly hit by a stray lightning bolt. This caused her to yelp, and jump back into the safety of the group.

A snarl caused everyone to jump, and look around wildly for the source of the noise. The sound was followed by heavy footsteps from behind. Tidus spun, to find a gigantic metal soldier with a huge sword, and a lightning elemental. "Damnit! Fiends!" He immediately attacked the Iron Giant, only to find that the heavy armor wasn't even dented by his sword. The fiend then brought its sword down towards him, but he dodged just in time. Meanwhile, Lulu was muttering something under her breath, her Moomba doll animated and mimicking her gestures.

Auron drove his blade into a gap in the giant's armor, damaging the machinery inside and making the fiend's sword arm useless. The thunder elemental swirled, and a lightning bolt struck out towards Lulu, but a magical shell, courtesy of Yuna, deflected the attack. Lulu finished her spell, and pointed at the elemental. A fountain of water bubbled up beneath it, soaking the monster. The lightning elemental shorted out, and its floating pieces dropped to the ground and began to dissolve into pyreflies. Kimahri charged forward and drove his lance straight into the Iron Giant's armor, breaking through the metal and destroying whatever animated the thing. It, too, began to fade.

Everyone began to relax, breathing heavily. Auron spun abruptly, shouting, "Look out!" Another fiend had appeared- this one a species of land dragon. It inhaled, preparing to unleash its lightning breath. Then it jerked, roared, and died, its constituent pyreflies swirling away. Behind it stood Kamereon, an expression of amazement on her face. She stared at her hand. Two sharp blades protruded from her wrist, and they were covered in green blood.

"Whoa. That was a close one, ya?" This from Wakka, while everyone else was staring at Kamer. The shapeshifter shook her head, concentrated, and the blades shimmered and disappeared. She looked up.

"What? You didn't think that I was planning to travel with you guys without helping a little, did you? I guess that my… talent… is useful for combat too."

Tidus recovered, and replied. "When you originally came along, I wasn't sure what to think of you. I assumed that you would be more of a burden than anything else. I guess I was wrong. Friends?"

Kamer nodded. "Friends."

Kimahri was muttering darkly to himself. "Kimahri still no trust form-changer. Kimahri kill big iron thing. No one notice. New person kill puny little dragon-thing. Everyone stare. Not fair."

They continued on their way to Lake Macalania.

That was fun. Anyway, read and review, or I won't post anymore! No, just kidding. But please, give me feedback! I need to know what people think!


	6. Chapter 5: Alone in the Wild

****Waves**** Hi, everyone, I'm back. I finally got around to writing…. Thank you to Kwiknok for all your completely senseless reviews (hehe), and to Th' Lady Shadow, for her excellent advice. Thanks Shad!!! School's in again, high school's hard. Enough rambling for now. See y'all later.

Therantas

Disclaimer: I don't own FFX. I'm not making any money off this, it's just for entertainment- blah, blah, blah… Are you happy now, Squaresoft? (Note: The little poem-thingy in italics is mine.)

Chapter 5: Alone in the Wild

_If you knew_

_The world had nothing left for you_

_What would you do?_

Tidus was the first to step off the path from the Thunder Plains and into the forest. His eyes widened at the sight of so many trees- before he'd come to Spira, the only trees he'd seen were a few small, stunted ones in Zanarkand City Park. The trees here could only be described as gigantic. As the other members of the group arrived, they too stared at the magnificent forest in front of them (except for Auron).

After spending some time staring, finally Yuna stirred. "Everyone?" The party turned to face her. "I… I've changed my mind."

"About what, Yuna?" Tidus was puzzled as to where this announcement had come from.

"I'm… going to marry Seymour. I think it would be best." Yuna spoke quietly, eyes downcast. "It would make Spira happy, so… I'll do it."

Tidus was shocked- would Yuna sacrifice her own happiness for people who only wanted her to defeat Sin for them? He opened his mouth to ask Yuna this, but a restraining hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to see Kamer, shaking her head. He frowned, but decided that keeping silent might be a good idea after all. _Let her do what she wants, _he thought bitterly. _Why should I care? It's her life._

Auron simply asked, "Are you sure?" When Yuna nodded, he turned back to the forest. "Then let us proceed."

As everyone else left, Yuna glanced at Tidus. Seeing the expression on his face, she opened her mouth to say something- to explain herself- but found that she could not. No words came. Tidus didn't even look at her as he followed behind the others. The summoner stood there silently for a moment, then hurried to catch up.

The sun was nearing the horizon (though you could hardly see it through the trees) when the party stopped for the night. They had been walking all day, and everyone was tired. A small lake was nearby (not _that_ one…), so it was a good place to rest. Wakka wandered down to the lakeside and looked in the water. A gasp was heard by the others, and they all came to see what caused it. Wakka was staring into the water, eyes fixed on something below the surface.

There, reflected in the water, was a red-haired woman. From the way that Wakka was staring at her, it had to be someone he knew- and from the resemblance, it must have been his mother. Other images flickered in the water, of his parents, his brother, even Yuna and Lulu when they were small. Everyone was shocked and confused; why were Wakka's memories being displayed like this?

Suddenly, in a rare flash of insight, Tidus blurted out, "Look at the pyreflies all over the place! I think this water must be what memory spheres are made of!"

Kamer realized that this was the obvious explanation for such a phenomenon, and continued gazing into the water, taking the chance to see Wakka's family. Then she noticed something else in the water, replacing the images of the blitzer's memories.

It was her father.

His smiling picture was soon replaced by others; memories of her mother, her little brother, and others from her world- the water was brazenly exhibiting her life for all to see. Kamer stood in surprise and pain, remembering those she'd left behind without even a thought. When an image of her best friend Kate flickered to life in the water, it was too much. Tears began to flow from her eyes, and she turned quickly and ran. Form flickering wildly, she took off into the forest, leaving the others in shock and bewilderment.

"…Do you think that was her family just there?" Wakka scratched his head in thought. "If it was, then why'd she freak like that? I mean, it must have been a shock, but…"

"Perhaps- perhaps they died recently? She was all alone when we found her." Though saddening, Yuna's speculation seemed to answer their questions. Rikku looked a bit worried for her new friend, but then got to work setting up camp with the others.

Tidus glanced at Rikku's troubled expression. "I'm sure she'll be back. She just needs a little time to herself."

Rikku smiled at him. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I shouldn't worry about her- Kamer can make it on her own."

They all sat quietly around their small campfire, some tired, others in thought.

Kamer flew blindly through the trees, not caring where she was going. She dodged branches left and right, nearly smacking into one. Finally she was soaring out over a lake that seemed to be full of little crystals, with a huge tree in the middle. If she hadn't been in the middle of an emotional crisis, she might have recognized the place-- as it was, she simply landed in a hollow of the tree near the water's surface.

Shifting back into human form, Kamer huddled in the shelter of the tree and began to cry. Her light frame shook with sobs, and tears streamed down the sides of her face. She cried for what seemed like hours. Finally, she sniffled, wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt, and sat up.

Her thoughts moved slowly now, considering, remembering. _How could I have just up and forgotten my family? They must be frantic by now! _She thought about how excited she'd been upon appearing in Spira, how elated to finally get her wish. _What am I DOING here? I should be at home with my family!_

_ But then, there's really no way for me to leave, is there?_ She stared out into the forest, not aware of her surroundings at all. _I'm here, and it's apparent from what those weird people said when I got here that I have a job to do. _A horrible thought suddenly entered Kamer's head- _What if I die here?_ _Would I just wake up on Earth, or would I…_ She shook the thought away. She had a job to do, and just sitting here wasn't helping any.

Kamer stood up, stretching a bit, and prepared to find her way back to camp. She was about to shift form and fly off when she heard a splashing sound. Suddenly aware that there might be fiends in the area, she quickly turned toward the sound and called, "Who's there?" The only response was the sound of the crystals in the lake. Kamer shifted in to a lupine form, dark and lithe, with sharp claws and teeth. She growled loudly.

Suddenly the water lapping near her feet swirled up into several spinning, floating shapes. It frothed on the surface of the water, and Kamer recognized it as an elemental- a Water Elemental. She lashed at it with her front legs, but her claws simply passed through, doing little damage if any. The fiend responded by shooting a heavy jet of water at her, soaking her through and sending her flying into a root.

Kamer quickly righted herself, and realized that a physical attack wouldn't be effective to kill this thing. _Let's see, what kills water? Thunder, that's right… thunder… wait a minute! I CAN'T DO MAGIC! _She changed into a flying form and tried to escape, but the thing hit her with another water jet, knocking her out of the air. She then found that she was too wet to fly, as the water soaked her wings. Besides, she didn't think the thing would simply let her fly away.

Kamer let out a panicked scream as two more surges of water appeared on either side. Then, as their combined attacks hit her, she inhaled water. Spots swirled in her sight, and she fell into darkness.

"Kimahri hear something." The blue Ronso looked up from the fire, focusing. "Splash, and thump. Could be battle."

"A battle? Perhaps some fiends are fighting among themselves." Tidus was unconcerned, still gazing into the flames as he thought about the past, and the recent actions of a certain summoner.

That same summoner shook her head. "No, it's not often that fiends fight each other. I wonder what it could be?" The answer was soon apparent as a panicked scream tore through the forest's stillness. The group were on their feet in seconds, and Rikku's eyes were wide.

"That was Kamer's voice! I know it!" Rikku turned in the direction the scream had come from. "She must be in trouble!"

Wakka was skeptical. "She can handle herself, ya?"

Lulu shook her head. "I don't know. She only just participated in combat for the first time today. And if she can't do magic, then there are fiends in this forest-" She was cut off by Tidus drawing his sword.

"Come on! We gotta go help!" Then the blonde warrior ran off into the trees, toward the source of the scream. The party followed, only Kimahri remaining to guard the camp because he didn't care. When they arrived at a lake, three elementals appeared from the water. Lulu quickly took care of them with a well-placed Thundara spell. Auron was the first to spot a still form lying on the tree in the center of the lake.

"There." Auron pointed. Yuna immediately spotted her, and quickly summoned Valefor.

"Go get that girl, and bring her back here," she instructed the winged Aeon, "but be gentle." Valefor immediately obeyed, picking up Kamer in its claws and depositing her on the shore. She was not breathing.

Tidus thought frantically- all blitzball players in Zanarkand were taught to help someone who had inhaled water, due to the chance of a player being unable to hold his breath long enough. He bent down to Kamer, put both hands to her chest, and pressed sharply three times. Kamer immediately began to cough, spitting out water in between taking breaths. (AN: Look, I don't know how to save a drowning person- I'm just assuming.)

Slowly, the coughing stopped, and Kamer was able to sit up. She looked around with wide eyes at the people standing over her. She then hugged her knees to herself, shivering, and mumbled something along the lines of "couldn't touch them". Tidus assisted her in standing, and she was able to walk back to the camp with relatively little assistance.

Finally, with a blanket wrapped around her and a warm fire in front of her, the shapeshifter was able to tell them what had transpired. "I was just getting ready to come back to camp after calming down, and I heard this noise. It was a water elemental, and I tried to kill it- but my claws went right through without harming it." Lulu nodded, knowing how hard it was to kill an elemental without magic. "It shot me with water, and slammed me into a wall. Then two more of them appeared, and they all hit me at once…" She trailed off, looking at the ground. "If you guys hadn't come, I would have died… Thank you for saving my life."

Lulu frowned at her. "Whatever possessed you to go out there alone? You knew there were fiends in the forest!"

Kamer was ashamed. "I just… freaked out, okay? I wasn't thinking about where I was going, or anything else. I'm definitely sure that I'll never do it again." She laughed weakly. "I don't ever want to be alone in the wild for the rest of my life." The others nodded, and then Auron declared that he was tired, chose a spot, and promptly fell asleep. Everyone decided to go to sleep then, leaving Kimahri on guard. Kamer, as a cat, stretched curled up on the ground near Yuna, while Rikku climbed into a nearby tree branch.

A quiet round of "good night" was heard, and then the forest was silent.

AN: Okay, wow. Done with this, finally. This part was quite fun to write, actually. Fun stuff next chapter, see you all there.


	7. Chapter 6: Fiends and Memories

AN: I'm so sorry, everyone. I almost left this story behind. I'm going to read the script again to get a better feel for the story, so I'm writing and y'all should be happy… or not, apparently. I probably deserve this for taking so long to update. sigh Well, I suppose I'd better keep writing anyway. By the way, please review? You don't have to, but reviews make me feel all warm an' fuzzy inside. On with the tale.

Chapter 6: Fiends and Memories

"What the… Tidus, what are you doing?!"

"The butterflies! There are so many, I must catch some!"

"Lu, Tidus, we should get going, ya?"

The traveling party had come to a halt when Tidus had brushed against a large, multicolored butterfly. The blonde's pupils had dilated slightly, and now he was wandering along the tree branch, occasionally reaching out to grasp at the air and mutter to himself. This continued for some time, until Tidus reached out too far. He teetered, then began to fall off the branch- until Kimahri, who was nearby, yanked him backwards by the neck of his shirt.

Tidus shook his head, blinked, and looked up with a confused expression. "What… just happened?"

Yuna grinned behind him. "Nothing. Let's get going." The group continued onward, carefully walking along the great wooden path in single file. Kamer was enjoying herself, jumping from branch to branch above their heads. Soon, the tree limb descended to the ground, and they found themselves in a small clearing.

Auron turned aside to look up at a tree, causing Wakka to almost walk right into him; the redhead had to jump back and nearly landed on his backside. Rikku giggled, and Wakka opened his mouth, annoyed- but Auron had drawn his blade and was now attacking the poor tree.

"Auron?" Tidus stared at him, afraid to get too close lest his fate be the same as the tree.

"Wait. It is here… somewhere."

"What's here?" Tidus was staring at Auron as one would stare at a man in a straitjacket; confusion, pity, and not a little fear.

"Something you all should see." As he said this, the tree fell to the side, leaving a fairly recognizable path.

"But, Sir Auron-" Now Yuna also seemed worried about the legendary guardian's mental health.

"It won't take long." With that, Auron moved into the opening he had just created, and the party had no other choice but to follow him. Soon the path opened out into a lake similar to their camping spot the previous night.

Kamer was the last to walk onto the scene; when she saw what was before her, memories of the game- which, to her considerable dismay, had been fading from her mind- returned instantly. This time, however, she was able to put them into perspective, and the picture was not something she ever wanted to see again. With a yelp, she was suddenly a bristling wolf, scrambling back from the edge of the pond. She retreated until she hit a tree, and then resisted the urge to simply run for her life.

Tidus glanced back at her, concerned. Then he looked back over the strange lake with crystals seemingly rising from it. "This place… it's just water, isn't it?"

Auron shook his head. "This is what spheres are made of. It absorbs and preserves people's memories, like the other pool." The water began to ripple, and some of it rose up around a single, large amoeba-looking creature. It floated above the lake menacingly.

Wakka stared. "What's that?"

"These places also attract fiends."

"WHAT?!!"

And so, the battle began. Kamer, however, didn't see it very clearly, as she was watching through a tree limb from several feet away. She felt ashamed at her own cowardice, but at the same time she knew that she would be of little help in this particular battle. She couldn't even hurt the thing- the shapeshifter felt utterly useless. She turned her attention back to the battle, and watched as Tidus took a swipe at the water creature with his blade. It was as she'd expected- the sword passed right through, leaving the monster unaffected. Once he was out of the way, however, a flash of dazzling light and heat- a Thundara spell- sizzled through the monster, electrifying its substance and frying its core. It sunk to the ground and dissolved, the water flowing back into the lake.

Tidus bent down to retrieve the sphere floating at the lake's edge. Kamer moved out from behind the tree and saw that it was a video sphere- the kind used by Spirans to record memories.

Wakka took it from him and examined it. "Whoa- this is old! Don't know if you can play it anymore."

Auron nodded. "Jecht left it here ten years ago. Play it back."

As Wakka turned it over, the sphere began to play its recording. The sphere was faint enough that only Tidus and those surrounding him- Wakka, Auron, and Yuna- could hear it. Kamer, however, managed to remember enough to know that it was a recorded message from Jecht to Tidus, and that there were several more throughout Spira. Soon enough, the sphere's message ended, and it shut off.

Tidus looked contemplative. "He sounded almost serious… but it was too late…"

"He was serious."

Auron looked ready to start lecturing Tidus about his father's journey, but Kamer cut him off. "Hey… you said it was too late. Too late for what?"

"Isn't it obvious? Too late to tell me! Too late for me to realize my father knew I existed!"

"He left you a message, for exactly that reason." Auron broke in again.

"Oh yeah? Well, how did he know I'd find it?"

"…He realized that he hadn't been the best of fathers, and he wanted to make up for it. He loved you."

"Yeah, right." Tidus shook his head. "Let's go."

The ace blitzer left the area last, deep in thought.

_Dad… why did you leave this here? Did you know I'd be stuck here like you?_

_…Did you want me to come?_

Well. I apologize for the shortness, but I really did think that here was a good spot to end it. I hope to have some more finished soon. Really, I mean it. See you around, everyone.


	8. Chapter 7: A Mind Lost

AN: Long has it been, my friends. Then again, it always is, isn't it? Sigh That's my fault, for not caring enough. Be warned, readers, that this story will become somewhat darker from here on out…. Not really angsty, mind, just more violent and such. So. Let the long-forgotten tale begin again.

Chapter 7: A Mind Lost 

A glittering landscape stretched out to the horizon. The sparkling sheen of ice enveloped every surface, and the entire lake seemed made of diamond. There was a collective gasp from the heroes, who stopped in awe of the natural splendor before them. Tidus noticed Yuna's expression; the burden she carried had slipped away for just a moment. Her mouth was open slightly, and her eyes shone with wonder. No longer did she seem timid; her awe of the lake surpassed all inhibitions.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts, Tidus started down the path into the crevasse, beckoning the others to follow. It was not long before they spotted an armored chocobo- and its rider, a knight by the name of Clasko. He glanced up, and smiled upon seeing Tidus.

Kamer stared, not having seen an actual chocobo before- and wondered at the enormity of what she'd been pulled into. _It's definitely not a game anymore…I wonder if it ever was one in the first place?_ Then she blinked, suddenly remembering that it was not a good thing for her to be seen with her companions in human form. She racked her brain for an appropriate disguise, hoping the knight hadn't already seen her- then, she almost laughed out loud as the perfect solution came to her.

Clasko turned to Tidus and grinned. "Hey there!" He sighed. "Look at this, I always get left behind…" His steed squawked, and the knight turned to it. "You want me to scratch you, eh?" The bird leaned into him as he rubbed its head.

Tidus smiled at this, asking, "How'd you know it wanted a scratch?"

Clasko looked up again, grinning. "Chocobos are real easy to read. I've always-" He stopped, staring at something behind Tidus. "Wow, where'd you find her?"

"What?" Tidus glanced back, to spot a second Chocobo strutting up behind him.

He stared.

The second Chocobo chirped, seeming amused, and moved up to examine the armored bird. Clasko's bird moved back a step, eyeing the intruder warily. The second bird drooped a bit, then turned back to Tidus.

"Oh, her? We… um… err…" Tidus struggled for a moment. "We… found her wandering around in the woods! Yeah, that's what happened!" He grinned sheepishly.

Clasko frowned. "That's odd… Chocobos aren't usually seen in forests." It stepped up to him, and he reached out to scratch its neck. "This one's a bit small, but she seems nice enough. Strange, I can't understand her quite so well as the others…"

Yuna smiled gently. "Sir Clasko, it seems like you are very good with these birds."

He blushed. "Thank you very much, Lady Summoner. I've thought about being a chocobo breeder… Maybe I'll give it a try!"

The group said their goodbyes and walked on. As soon as knight and bird were out of sight, the second Chocobo disappeared, leaving a grinning human girl in its place. "That was fun, I should do it again sometime."

Tidus was highly annoyed. "You could have given us some warning, you know!"

Kamer only laughed. "You should have seen your face… You know, Tidus, you're not a very good liar."

"Well- you- but… Oh, shut up."

Lulu, looking ahead, spoke. "If you don't want to be seen with us, now would be the time to do something about it. Tromell is coming this way."

Kamer jumped. "Ah, crap! One second…" Then she was gone- becoming a doglike being so white as to disappear against the ice. Then she jumped onto a ledge, crouching where she could see but not be seen.

The old Guado made his way up to the guardians. "Ah, milady. I apologize; we were not expecting you so soon. Lord Seymour would not have left, had he known…"

Yuna bowed. "It's not a problem. Could I… ask a question?"

"Of course, milady."

"I would like to continue on the path of a summoner… continue my pilgrimage, after my marriage. Do you think Lord Seymour would allow it?"

Tidus glanced at her in surprise. He had thought she would want to stay with her husband- oh, he hated that word; _husband- _but now, he realized that thought was silly. Yuna would never give up on her duty as a summoner.__

"He would want nothing else, I assure you."

Yuna turned away from Tromell for a moment, nodding to her guardians- and flicking her eyes toward the ridge where a white dog knelt. "Well, goodbye for now…"

"What!?" Tidus jumped, surprised. "You're not going to Seymour without us, are you?"

Tromell put a hand on Yuna's arm. "It is Guado tradition… We must follow custom, after all…"

"But-" Tidus sputtered, obviously reluctant to leave Yuna without guardians.

"You must wait here for a while… I will send someone to escort you later." Tromell steered the summoner away, down the path.

Tidus suppressed the urge to whistle. _This is what she wants… I can't stop her, even if I want to desperately._ A surge of hope rose as she hesitated, turned around- but it died as Auron assured her that her guardians were all behind her. Tidus almost didn't notice when Auron spoke to him.

"Sorry."

Tidus looked at him. "Huh?"

"Your line, not mine."

"Oh… yeah, I suppose…" Finally, he could resist no longer- he ran forward and whistled, as loudly as he could.

Yuna spun, and nodded sharply. "Yes sir!" Then she turned away again.

He grimaced slightly. _So this is it… At least she understands…_

Tidus was once again startled, as Rikku cried, "Oh no!"

Wakka growled, "Al Bhed!" with hatred in his tone; Rikku winced slightly at this. However, more pressing problems were at hand, as several snowmobiles surrounded Yuna in the distance. The guardians ran for their charge, and quickly reached the pair.

Auron placed a hand on his blade. "Stand back," he warned Tromell and Yuna.

Tromell nodded, and gripped Yuna's arm. "Thank you. Let us go!" He was shocked when the girl tore away from him and went to stand with the others. "Lady Yuna!" he cried, but she did not heed him.

The Al Bhed surrounding them were prepared to attack, but suddenly lowered their weapons and made way for a man with a Mohawk, covered in tattoos. He stood upon an icy crest, shouting at the companions. "Rikku!"

Rikku looked up, plainly surprised to see him, but did not respond. He continued to speak in his strange language. " Don't get in our way, or we'll use this! " A giant, metallic cannon rolled up next to him. " We have sealed your magic! And your precious Aeons cannot help you now! " The man laughed at them.

"Oh, shit…" Rikku was plainly worried.

"What'd he say?" Tidus was nervous about this.

"He's going to use an anti-magic field- we won't be able to fight nearly as well!"

The Al Bhed leader swept his arm down. " Get them! "

"Not good…" Tidus drew his blade.

And so, the battle began- the companions dodging blasts from the cannon, and the male Guardians hacking at bits of exposed machinery. Amid the flashes and roaring of the battle, none noticed as a white blur swept up toward the hill.

Finally, Tidus stabbed one last time and leapt back, as the engine of the machine exploded. Panting, he turned back to the others, to see Tromell grab Yuna's arm. "We must go, my lady!" called the old Guado, and she nodded and resumed the walk toward the temple.

The man on the hill was quite angry, and opened his mouth to say something more- but screamed instead as he was tackled bodily. A white, four-legged beast stood over him, snarling with teeth bared. He struggled, but was unable to move.

Kamer growled menacingly. She could so easily tear out his throat! Voices called to her, but she ignored them. She wanted so desperately to kill this man, to watch his blood spill out onto the snow… It would take so little effort, so why hadn't she slain him yet? What was holding her back? Thoughts swirled about in her head, but she could not catch hold of them- all she understood was her desire to slay the man beneath her. He had threatened her friends…

_My… friends…_ That thought anchored in her mind, and finally she heard the shouting behind her. All her friends were shouting at her, asking her to… stop? Rikku was screaming, calling out one word…

**"BROTHER!!!"** The girl was terrified, anxious… Kamer didn't understand. Why would they want her to not kill this enemy?

She looked down at the man, and he started to speak in his own language. " Don't, get off me!! " She snarled viciously, and he quieted. Kamer was so confused… Then, finally, the sobs of the green-eyed girl reached her, and reason returned. _What am I doing?_ She moved off the man, allowing him to stand. He did so, crying, " Rikku, you are on your own in this! I shall tell Father! " With that, he turned and ran.

Kamer sat as a human, curled into herself. _What happened? Why was I… I wanted to kill him, wanted to see him bleed… I don't understand… What's happening to me?_ She was currently unaware of the argument going on below her, between a redhead blitzer and an Al Bhed.

"What? You speak Al Bhed? And why were you screaming at that man?" Wakka was clearly angry.

"Because… he is my brother, and I am Al Bhed…" Rikku could not meet his gaze.

"All this time, and nobody told me?! I can't believe I've been traveling with a heathen!" In his anger, Wakka did not see the hurt that flickered across Rikku's face.

"No, that's not true… We don't hate Yevon…"

"It was the machina you use that created Sin!"

Now, Rikku became angry. "Show me proof of that!"

"Yevon told us! But you wouldn't know that!" They were both shouting now.

"Oh, always listening to Yevon's words! Can't you think on your own?! Nothing will ever change like that!"

"Nothing has to! Things are fine this way!"

Rikku sputtered, almost too angry for words. "FINE?! There might be a way to stop Sin, but you don't even care!"

"Sin will go once we atone for our sins!"

"Argh! I don't know why I bother with you!!!" Rikku stalked away, to help Auron with a snowmobile. Wakka stared after her angrily, but then Tidus said something quietly and Wakka turned back to him. A softer conversation ensued, with Tidus trying to calm Wakka down. Meanwhile, Lulu reached the top of the hill, where Kamer sat. She looked down at the shape shifter.

"Get up." That was all she said, but it was enough. Kamer looked up, shook her head, and unfolded herself. Then the two walked back toward the snowmobiles.

Rikku and the others had managed to salvage four. Auron, Tidus, Kimahri and Wakka each seated themselves on one, Wakka grumbling all the way. Rikku got on behind Auron and Lulu walked over to Tidus' snowmobile. They looked back at Kamer, standing alone on the ice. No one said anything.

Kamer looked down, and sighed. "I understand. You guys go, I can catch up. Meet you at the temple…" The others nodded, and started the mobiles. Kamer turned away, and they were gone in a rush of snow.

She was alone now. Kamer looked up in the direction of the temple, thinking. Finally, a great cat leapt from where she had stood, and started to run along the ledges of ice. Soon, she was out of sight.

All that remained in that place were the silent husks of broken machines, and a small red stain on the top of a hill.


End file.
